Page 24 of One Summer in Monte Carlo
Evie saw her looking at the yachts. ‘Is thatPole Position? I’ve been invited to a party on board tomorrow. Do you know Zac Ewart?’
Nanette smiled. Evie was exactly the kind of girl Zac liked to surround himself with. She nodded. ‘I’ve known Zac for years.’
She glanced at Evie as she said this. Evie clearly had no idea of her past relationship with Zac.
Nanette, knowing the way the Monaco grapevine worked, knew it wouldn’t be long before someone told Evie all the gory details. She hesitated, perhaps she should get in first with her version – the details she could remember, anyway.
‘Oh great, you’ll be going to the party then,’ Evie said, and the opportunity was gone.
‘Not sure,’ Nanette said evasively.
A party on board the boat on which she had organised many a party in the past, full of people who hadn’t given her a single thought after the accident, wasn’t a scenario she fancied. Could she really face it? Did she want to put herself through what would undoubtedly be an ordeal? Even if there was an outside chance that it could help to revive her memory and fill in the blanks for her.
‘The race is about to start,’ Pierre said excitedly. ‘The lights are on.’
Watching the old cars take off, Nanette hoped Jean-Claude would do well – or at least finish the race and not break down. She held her breath every time the Lotus passed below them on the way to the first corner of the next lap, willing him on with every vibe. In the event, he held on to his grid position right to the end and came in fourth. As he took the chequered flag, Nanette joined the twins in cheering loudly, relieved that he’d finished without any problems but sad that he’d just missed out on a podium position.
It was mid-afternoon before a happy Jean-Claude joined them up in the apartment, going straight to the kitchen, where Nanette had retreated to give Florence a hand.
‘Congratulations, JC,’ Nanette said, turning to him with a smile on her face, before surprising both herself and Jean-Claude when she kissed him on the cheek before pouring and handing him a glass of champagne.
‘Merci.’
Nanette smiled at him again, not sure whether he was thanking her for the champagne or the kiss.
‘Any food left? I’m starving,’ he asked.
‘Of course. Why don’t you join the others on the balcony while I plate you up some?’
Jean-Claude shook his head. ‘Not in the mood for meeting Boris and company. I stay here with you.’
As Nanette quickly made up a plate of food for him, Mathieu appeared in the doorway.
‘Congratulations, Papa. You had a good race there,’ before he turned to Nanette. ‘Are you still planning to spend next Sunday up at the villa rather than stay here in the apartment? Now that you and Zac have kissed and made up, I thought you might watch the race from the back of his garage in the pit lane?’
Nanette looked at him, shocked. ‘Mathieu, I don’t know what Zac has told you, but we certainly haven’t kissed and made up. I’ve still got a lot of questions I’d like him to answer before that happens – if it ever does,’ Nanette said sharply. ‘Does it matter where I spend next Sunday?’
‘I’ve just agreed that Boris can use the apartment to watch the race,’ Mathieu said. ‘Apparently the apartment he was hoping to use is no longer available. I’ve told him Pierre and I will be here and possibly you and Olivia, which isn’t a problem for him.’
‘Pierre definitely wants to watch the race and Olivia would prefer not to,’ Nanette said. ‘So, I’ll take her up to the villa for the day and leave Pierre here with you, if that’s OK with you, JC?’
‘Fine by me,’ Jean-Claude assured her. He glanced at Mathieu. ‘Are you going to Zac’s party tomorrow night?’
‘Of course, and I’m hoping Nanette is coming as my partner,’ Mathieu answered, looking at her.
Nanette looked at him, surprised. He hadn’t mentioned that possibility to her. ’Thanks, Mathieu, Zac invited me, but I’ve decided not to go.’
Mathieu looked disappointed but merely said. ‘That’s a shame, but if you change your mind, I’ll be leaving here about nine thirty. You’ll remember how Zac’s parties never take off until late.’
17
The night she spent sitting in the shaman’s hut beside a delirious Ralph was one of the longest of Vanessa’s life. For two hours after the native bearers had placed him in the hut, Vanessa had paced up and down outside. Refused admittance by the chief shaman, she could do nothing but pray for her husband and wonder what was going on in there.
Nick and Harry, the cameramen, gave her a brief account of what had happened out by the mine.
‘Ralph didn’t feel well all morning, said his stomach was hurting. He ate very little lunch before he was sick.’
‘Why on earth didn’t he return to camp?’ Vanessa said.
